Pallet

ABSTRACT

A pallet having the plurality of depending legs and which may be vertically stacked with like pallets in either of two nested positions having differing stacking heights depending upon the relative angular orientation about a vertical axis of vertically adjacent like pallets in the stack.

United States Patent Monk Feb. 15, 1972 [54] PALLET 3,199,469 8/1965 Sullivan 108/58 3,233,564 2/l966 Sullivan 108/53 Inventor Homer Monk, 3008 Edgewood Dflve 3,267,883 8/1966 Vissers nos/53 Midwest City, Okla. 73110 [22] Flled: Aug' 1970 Primary Examiner-Paul R. Gilliam [21] Appl. No.: 67,836 Attorney-Cushman, Darby & Cushman S CI 08 3 [57] ABSTRACT 52 U. ..l 5 l 1 l A pallet having the plurality of depending legs and which may [51] .....B65d 19/44 be vertically stacked with like pallets in either of two nested 0f p iti n a g Stacking depending p the relative angular orientation about a vertical axis of vertically [56] References Clted adjacent like pallets in the stack.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,903,218 9/1959 Altenburg 108/53 23 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PAIENIEBFEB 15 m2 35%134 sum 1 w z MEFTOR Mp ATTORNEYS PATENTED EB 15 0872 SHiET 2 0f 2 A WWUVV I IVEFTOR flZ/VEE ,5. Wan x:

Man u ATTORNEYS PALLET BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a pallet, and more particularly to a pallet which can be stacked in a nested relationship with like pallets.

It has long been known to provide pallets with hollow legs configured to accept the hollow legs of superjacent like pallets. In some embodiments, such as disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,233,564, the pallets are completely nested so that the platform of the superjacent pallet rests upon the platform of the pallet nested below it. On the other hand, some of the prior pallets include means for stacking the pallets in such a manner that a space is left between adjacent platforms. For instance, in US. Pat. No. 2,903,218, the hollow legs are configured such that adjacent pallets will not completely nest. In US. Pat. No. 3,267,883 a lifting lug is provided which also acts as a spacer between nested, adjacent pallets.

Heretofore, however, no one has provided a pallet which, when arranged in one of two angular orientations, provides two nested conditions having differing stacking heights.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention, on the one hand, to provide a pallet which can be fully nested with adjacent pallets. Nesting, of course, provides stability to a stack of pallets. It is desirable to have the pallets nest fully for minimizing the storage space required for a stack of pallets and for providing ease of shipment.

It is a further object of the invention, on the other hand, to provide a means for stacking the pallets in a partially nested condition in which there is a space between adjacent pallet platforms. This space permits the pallets to be machine handled, such as by the forks of a lift truck.

The objects of this invention are accomplished by providing a mating means in association with each pallet for cooperating with corresponding mating means on adjacent like pallets. The mating means permits the pallet to be stacked with an adjacent like pallet at one stacking height when the pallet is in one angular orientation, and further permits the pallet to be stacked at a different stacking height when the pallet is in a second angular orientation. Provision is also made for including visual indicia, such as color combinations, on the pallets so that easy determination of the angular orientation of the pallets can be made.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a square pallet;

FIG. 2 is a front side elevational view of the pallet of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary prospective view of one of the hollow legs of the pallet shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a rectangular pallet;

FIG. 5 is a front side elevational view of the pallet of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a front side elevational view, partly in section and with parts broken away for clarity, showing two pallets in a fully nested position;

FIG. 7 is a front side elevational view, partly in section and with parts broken away for clarity, showing two pallets in a fully nested position;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a modified pallet; and

FIG. 9 is a front side elevational view of the pallet of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a square pallet 10 having a generally horizontal platform 12 with upper 14 and lower 16 surfaces. A plurality of legs 18 are displayed in an array on the platform 12 and protrude downwardly from the lower surface 16 of the platform. As illustrated, there are five legs, four of which are at the comers 20 of the square pallet but spaced inwardly from the side edges 22 of the platform, as at 24. The fifth leg, which is optional, is located at approximately the geometric center of the platform.

socket are shaped similarly to an inverted frustoconical member. In other words, the sides 28 converge as the leg depends from the platfonn. In this manner, the legs will longitudinally or vertically accept a leg or a like pallet. It may even be desirable to provide the outer surfaces of the legs with ribs to prevent wedging when a series of pallets are stacked together. Holes 29 can be provided through the bottom surface 36 of each leg for drainage.

A mating means is provided with each pallet for cooperating with a corresponding mating means on an adjacent pallet. The mating means permits the pallet to be stacked with an adjacent like pallet at different stacking heights. The mating means in this invention is described as comprising a first cooperating detent means 30 and a second cooperating detent means 32.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, the first cooperating detent means 30 comprises a vertically opening, elongated trapezoidal recess 34 in the bottom surface 36 of each leg 18. This recess 34 is above the lower extent or bottom surface 36 of the legs, extends up into the socket 26 of each leg, and opens downwardly. The recess has sloping sidewalls 38 which converge toward the end 40 of the recess. The second cooperating detent means 32 comprises an upright, elongated trapezoidal protrusion 42 extending up into the socket 26 of each leg. The protrusion terminates at a point below the upper surface 14 of the platform and above the lower extent 36 of the legs of the pallet. As illustrated, the protrusion 42 is defined by sloping sidewalls 44 which converge towards the end 46 of the protrusion. The configuration of the protrusion is similar to that of the recess so that the protrusion can be interfitted with the recess of a superjacent pallet. Likewise, the configuration of the recess is similar to that of the protrusion so that the recess can receive the protrusion of a subjacent pallet. Inasmuch as the first and second cooperating detent means are not symmetrical, the alignment of these detent means establishes two different angular orientations of the pallet.

It will be seen that when the platform is square, as illustrated in FIGS. l-2, the elongated trapezoidal recesses 34, and protrusions 42, in the sockets of each leg are aligned in the same direction and the two different angular orientations in which the pallet can be disposed in a nested condition with differing stacking heights are apart. Thus, in one angular orientation, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the trapezoidal recesses 34 and trapezoidal protrusions 42 are aligned in the same direction and fully or substantially nest, as illustrated in FIG. 6. The protrusion on the bottom pallet interfits with the recess on the superjacent pallet. Conversely, the recess on the top pallet interfits with the protrusion on the subjacent pallet. This first orientation defines one stacking height of the palletsi.e., the stacking height in which the pallets are nested as fully as they are designed to be nested. In the fully nested position, the legs of one pallet might be supported in the sockets 26 of the legs of the subjacent pallet with a minimal space between platforms, as illustrated in the drawings, or, alternatively, the platforms of adjacent pallets may be resting upon each other. In this latter situation, the thickness and slope of the walls of the legs of the pallet may have to be varied to permit total nesting.

Upon horizontally rotating one of the pallets into a different angular orientation, i.e., a 90 rotation, all of the first and second cooperating detent means are misaligned so that they will not interfit, as illustrated in FIG. 7. In other words, the elongated recesses 34 on the top pallet are aligned perpendicular to the elongated protrusions 42 on the subjacent pallet. Thus, the bottoms 36 of the legs of the top pallet sit upon the ends 46 of the protrusions of the subjacent pallet and within the sockets 26 of the legs of the subjacent pallet. While nested in this orientation, the misalignment of the recess and protrusions (cooperating detent means) causes the two adjacent pallets described above to be stacked at a greater height and with a larger gap between the platforms of each pallet than that of the pallets shown in H6. 6. Thus, in the two different angular orientations, the pallets are stacked at different heights, permitting, in one instance, a minimum height for conserving space in shipping and permitting, in the other instance, sufficient space between adjacent pallets to enable a machine means, such as the fork of a lift truck, to be inserted between pallets. As illustrated, in the minimum stacking, the platforms are spaced slightly apart, but the spacing is not sufficient to receive the fork of a lift truck.

The recesses 34 and protrusions 42 are asymmetrical to the extent that for one of at least two different angular orientations of the pallet above a vertical axis, the recesses and protrusions are not aligned. At the same time, however, the array of legs 18, which may take various configurations, is symmetrical to the extent that for each of at least two different angular orientations of the pallet about a vertical axis, the legs of the pallet are positioned to each be received in a socket of a vertically subjacentlike pallet and the sockets of the pallets are positioned to each receive a leg of a vertically superjacentlike pallet.

Considering FIGS. 4 and 5, there is illustrated a rectangular pallet having an array of legs 18 which again may take a variety of configurations. As shown, the first cooperating detent means at one end 48 of the platform is aligned in a first direction while the first cooperating detent means diagonally at the opposite end 50 of the platform is aligned in a second direction, angularly inclined to the first direction. Similarly, the second cooperating detent means at one end 48 of the platform is aligned in a first direction while the second cooperating detent means diagonally at the opposite end 50 of the platform is aligned in a second direction, angularly inclined to the first direction. For the purpose of illustration, these different alignments are shown as being perpendicular to each other. As with the square pallet, the array of legs on the rectangular pallet is symmetrical to the extent that for each of at least two different angular orientations of the pallet about a vertical axis, the legs of the pallet are positioned to each be received in a socket of a vertically subjacentlike pallet and the sockets of the pallet are positioned to each receive a leg of a vertically superjacentlike pallet.

In one orientation, the first and second cooperating detent means interfit while in the second angular orientation, which, with respect to a rectangular pallet, is 180 apart, the first and second cooperating detent means are misaligned and do not interfit. Accordingly, two different stacking heights are achieved, one in a fully nested position and the other in the partially nested position. The first cooperating detent means associated with the center leg of the rectangular pallet, or, for that matter, with a square pallet, comprises an odd number of recesses 52 adjacent and equicircumferentially spaced around the geometric center platform. As illustrated, these recesses communicate with the socket 26 of the center leg. The second cooperating detent means includes an odd number of protrusions 54 adjacent and equicircumferentially spaced around the geometric center of the platform. As illustrated, these protrusions 54 are secured to the center leg. It will thus be seen that in one orientation, the protrusions of the pallet are received in the recesses of the subjacent pallet. However, in the other orientation, the recesses and protrusions of adjacent pallets are misaligned so that they will not interfit.

NOS. 8 and 9 illustrate another embodiment of the invention. Heretofore, the first and second cooperating detent means have been shown located on the legs. In FIGS. 8 and 9 the first and second cooperating detent means 56 and 58 are located on the platform. More specifically, the first cooperating detent means comprises a plurality of recesses 60 in the upper surface 62 of the platform 64. Each recess has sidewalls 66 sloping inwardly from the upper surface 62 of the platform toward the bottom 68 of the recess. At least one of the recesses 60a is spaced differently from the outer edge 70 of the platform, as at 72, than one of the other recesses 60b, as at 74. Likewise, the second cooperating detent means 58 comprises a plurality of protrusions 76 depending from the lower surface 78 of the platform. The protrusions are defined by sidewalls 80 which slope inwardly from the lower surface platform toward the free end 82 of the protrusion. The spacing of the protrusions from the edge 70 of the platform corresponds with the spacing of the recesses. Thus, at least one of the protrusions 76a is spaced differently from the outer edge 70 of the platform, as at 84, than one of the other protrusions 76b, as at 86.

Inasmuch as there are two different angular orientations for establishing different stacking heights, it is desirable to provide a visible indicia means for locating and orienting these different angular orientations. This visible indicia means comprises two visually different indicia 88 and 90 located on the pallet at two angularly separated locations. For instance, the indicia 88 and 90 could comprise two different colors. All pallets are marked so that in one orientation, the indicia on the pallet and the indicia on the adjacent nested pallets vertically correspond. When the pallet is in the other angular orientation, the indicia on adjacent pallets does not vertically correspond. In this manner, an operator can tell whether a pallet will fully or partially nest in the subjacent pallet or fully or partially receive the superjacent pallet. While it has been suggested that colors could be used as the visual indicia, it will be appreciated that considerable modification can be made to the type of indicia used.

As is illustrated in the drawings, the platforms are either square or rectangular and thus have four edges 22 intersecting to define four corners 20. The legs 18 are located adjacent each corner, but, as shown on the embodiments above, the legs are spaced slightly inwardly from the edges defining the adjacent comer. In order to protect the legs from damage, as by a forklift, comer shrouds 92 are provided and extend around each corner and at least partially down each edge 22 of the pallet. The shrouds 92 are defined by sloping shroud walls 94 secured to the platform and depending below the lower surface of the platform. The shroud walls 94 slope outwardly from the geometric center of the platform as they depend from the platfonn. In the preferable embodiment, the vertical lower extent 94 of the shroud walls and the vertical lower extent 36 of the legs below the platform are coplanar so that the shroud walls and legs both bear the weight of the pa]- let when it rests on the ground. The shroud walls 94 do not extend completely along each edge of a platform so that there is a gap 98 between adjacent shrouds for permitting entry of a fork of a lift truck.

The terms first and second cooperating detent means have been used in describing the invention. For the most part, the detent means are described as protrusions or recesses. Thus, the first cooperating detent means could comprise a recess in the upperside or underside of the pallet while the second cooperating detent means would comprise a protrusion on the underside or upperside of the pallet. The upperside of the pallet is defined as everything you can see looking at the pallet from the top while the underside of the pallet is defined as everything you can see looking at the pallet from the bottom.

It should also be appreciated that while the first and second cooperating detent means have been described as comprising recesses and protrusions, various other configurations could be used. Thus, the term detent means" is meant to include mating means other than recesses and protrusions. For instance, the configuration of the bottom half of each leg could be asymmetrical so that the legs of adjacent pallets would only fully nest in one orientation while in a second orientation the legs would only be partially nested.

While the preferred forms of the invention have been illustrated in the drawings and discussed above, it should be adequately clear that considerable modification may be made thereto departing from the principles of the invention. Therefore, the foregoing should be considered in an illustrative sense rather than a limiting sense. Accordingly, the extent of this invention should be limited only by the spirit and the scope of the claims appended thereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A pallet, which may be vertically stacked with like pallets in either of two nested conditions having differing stacking heights depending upon the relative angular orientation about a vertical axis of vertically adjacent like pallets in the stack, comprising:

a generally horizontal platform having an upper surface and a lower surface;

a plurality of legs disposed in an array on the platform and protruding downwardly from the lower surface of the platform;

each of the legs being hollow and including an upwardly opening socket opening through the upper surface of the platform;

each socket being configured to vertically accept a leg of a like pallet to a substantial depth;

the array of legs being symmetrical to the extent that for each of at least two different angular orientations of the pallet about the vertical axis the legs of the pallet are positioned to each be received in a socket of a vertically subjacentlike pallet and the sockets of the pallets are positioned to each receive a leg of a vertically superjacentlike pallet;

means defining at least one first cooperating detent means secured to the pallet above the lower extent of the legs of the pallet and below the upper surface of the platform;

means defining at least one second cooperating detent means secured to the pallet below the upper surface of the platform and above the lower extent of the legs of the pallet;

the first cooperating detent means being so configured and disposed that when the pallet is in one of the two different angular orientations as nested with a subjacentlike pallet, the first cooperating detent means is interfitted with the second cooperating detent means of the subjacentlike pallet and when the pallet is in the other of the two different angular orientations and nested with a subjacentlike pallet, the first cooperating detent means is misaligned with and does not interfit with the second cooperating detent means of the subjacentlike pallet whereby the stacking height of the pallet and the subjacentlike pallet is greater in the second instance than in the first instance; and

the second cooperating detent means being so configured and disposed that when the pallet is in one of the two different angular orientations and nested with a superjacentlike pailet, the second cooperating detent means is interfitted with the first cooperating detent means of the superjacentlike pallet and when the pallet is in the other of the two different angular orientations and nested with a superjacentlike pallet, the second cooperating detent means is misaligned with and does not interfit with the first cooperating detent means of the superjacentlike pallet whereby the stacking height of the pallet and the superjacentlike pallet is greater in the second instance than in the first instance.

2. The pallet defined in claim 1 wherein the legs of the pallet are supported in the sockets of the subjacentlike pallet in both orientations.

3. The pallet defined in claim 1 wherein the legs of the pallet are supported in the sockets of the subjacentlike pallet in one orientation and are received in but not supported by the sockets of the subjacentlike pallet in the other orientation.

4. The pallet defined in claim 1 wherein the first and second cooperating detent means are on the legs of the pallet.

5. The pallet defined in claim 4 wherein the first and second cooperating detent means extend up into the sockets of the legs.

6. The pallet defined in claim 5 wherein the first cooperating detent means comprises means defining a vertically opening, elongated trapezoidal recess in the bottom surface of each leg and extending up into the socket of each leg and wherein the second cooperating detent means comprises means defining a vertical elongated trapezoidal protrusion extending up into the sockets of each leg.

7. The pallet defined in claim 6 wherein the elongated trapezoidal recess opens downwardly and wherein the elongated trapezoidal protrusion points upwardly.

8. The pallet defined in claim 6 wherein the elongated trapezoidal recess opens upwardly and wherein the elongated trapezoidal protrusion points upwardly.

9. The pallet defined in claim 6 wherein the platform is square, the elongated trapezoidal recesses and protrusions in the sockets of each leg are aligned in the same direction and the two different angular orientations are 90 apart.

10. The pallet defined in claim 6 wherein the platform is rectangular, the elongated trapezoidal recesses and protrusions in at least some of the sockets are aligned in planes angularly inclined to the planes of the elongated trapezoidal recesses and protrusions in diagonally opposite sockets and the two different angular orientations are l apart.

11. The pallet defined in claim 1 wherein the first cooperating detent means comprises means defining at least one recess on the underside of the pallet, the recess being located above the lower extent of the legs of the pallet, and wherein the second cooperating detent means comprises means defining at least one protrusion on the upperside of the pallet, the protrusion being located below the upper surface of the platform.

12. The pallet defined in claim 1 wherein the first cooperating detent means comprises means defining at least one recess on the upperside of the pallet, the recess extending below the upper surface of the platform, and wherein the second cooperating detent means comprises means defining at least one protrusion on the underside of the pallet, the protrusion being located above the lower extent of the legs of the pallet.

13. The pallet defined in claim 1 wherein the first and second cooperating detent means are on the platform of the pallet.

14. The pallet defined in claim 13 wherein the first cooperating detent means comprises means defining at least two recesses in the upper surface of the platform with the recess sidewalls sloping inwardly from the upper surface of the platform toward the bottom of the recess, at least one of the recesses being spaced differently from the outer edge of the platform than one other of the recesses, and wherein the second cooperating detent means comprises means defining at least two protrusions on the lower surface of the platform with the protrusion sidewalls sloping inwardly from the lower surface of the platform toward the free end of the protrusion, at least one of the protrusions being spaced differently from the outer edge of the platform than one other of the protrusions.

15. The pallet defined in claim 1 wherein the platforms are square and the different angular orientations are apart.

16. The pallet defined in claim 1 wherein the platforms are rectangular and the different angular orientations are apart.

17. The pallet defined in claim 1 wherein one of the legs lies approximately at the geometric center of the platform.

18. The pallet defined in claim 17 wherein the first cooperating detent means includes means defining an odd number of recesses adjacent and equicircumferentially spaced around the geometric center of the platform, and wherein the second cooperating detent means includes means defining an odd number of protrusions adjacent and equicircumferentially spaced around the geometric center of the platform.

19. The pallet defined in claim 1 additionally comprising a visible indicia means on the pallet for permitting alignment and misalignment of the orientation of the pallet with the like adjacent nested pallets.

20. The pallet defined in claim 19 wherein the visible indicia means comprises two visually different indicia on the pallet at two angularly separated locations so that when the pallet is in one orientation the indicia on the pallet and the indicia on adjacent nested pallets vertically corresponds and when the pallet is in the other angular orientation the indicia on the pallet and the indicia on adjacent nested pallets does not vertically correspond. I

21. Thepallet defined in claim 1 wherein the platform has four side edges at approximately 90 to each other and defining four corners at the juncture of each side edge and wherein there are at least four legs, one located adjacent each corner, and additionally comprising corner shrouds extending at, least partially on each side of each corner for protecting the legs against accidental damage, the shrouds being defined by sloping shroud walls secured to the platform at the platform edges and depending below the lower surface of the platform, the

shroud walls sloping outwardly from the geometric center of the platform as they depend from the platform.

22. The pallet defined in claim 23 wherein the vertical lower extent of the shroud walls and the vertical lower extent of the legs below the platform are coplanar so that the shroud walls and legs both bear the weight of the pallet when it rests on the ground.

23. The pallet defined in claim 22 wherein the shroud walls extend completely around each comer of the platform and extend partially but not completely down each edge of the plat' form so as to define a gap between shroud walls on the same side of the platform. 

1. A pallet, which may be vertically stacked with like pallets in either of two nested conditions having differing stacking heights depending upon the relative angular orientation about a vertical axis of vertically adjacent like pallets in the stack, comprising: a generally horizontal platform having an upper surface and a lower surface; a plurality of legs disposed in an array on the platform and protruding downwardly from the lower surface of the platform; each of the legs being hollow and including an upwardly opening socket opening through the upper surface of the platform; each socket being configured to vertically accept a leg of a like pallet to a substantial depth; the array of legs being symmetrical to the extent that for each of at least two different angular orientations of the pallet about the vertical axis the legs of the pallet are positioned to each be received in a socket of a vertically subjacentlike pallet and the sockets of the pallets are positioned to each receive a leg of a vertically superjacentlike pallet; means defining at least one first cooperating detent means secured to the pallet above the lower extent of the legs of the pallet and below the upper surface of the platform; means defining at least one second cooperating detent means secured to the pallet below the upper surface of the platform and above the lower extent of the legs of the pallet; the first cooperating detent means being so configured and disposed that when the pallet is in one of the two different angular orientations as nested with a subjacentlike pallet, the first cooperating detent means is interfitted with the second cooperating detent means of the subjacentlike pallet and when the pallet is in the other of the two different angular orientations and nested with a subjacentlike pallet, the first cooperating detent means is misaligned with and does not interfit with the second cooperating detent means of the subjacentlike pallet whereby the stacking height of the pallet and the subjacentlike pallet is greater in the second instance than in the first instance; and the second cooperating detent means being so configured and disposed that when the pallet is in one of the two different angular orientations and nested with a superjacentlike pallet, the second cooperating detent means is interfitted with the first cooperating detent means of the superjacentlike pallet and when the pallet is in the other of the two different angular orientations and nested with a superjacentlike pallet, the second cooperating detent means is misaligned with and does not interfit with the first cooperating detent means of the superjacentlike pallet whereby the stacking height of the pallet and the superjacentlike pallet is greater in the second instance than in the first instance.
 2. The pallet defined in claim 1 wherein the legs of the pallet are supported in the sockets of the subjacentlike pallet in both orientations.
 3. The pallet defined in claim 1 wherein the legs of the pallet are supported in the sockets of the subjacentlike pallet in one orientation and are received in but not supported by the sockets of the subjacentlike pallet in the other orientation.
 4. The pallet defined in claim 1 wherein the first and second cooperating detent means are on the legs of the pallet.
 5. The pallet defined in claim 4 wherein the first and second cooperating detent means extend up into the sockets of the legs.
 6. The pallet defined in claim 5 wherein the first cooperating detent means comprises means defining a vertically opening, elongated trapezoidal recess in the bottom surface of each leg and extending up into the socket of each leg and wherein the second cooperating detent means comprises means defining a vertical elongated trapezoidal protrusion extending up into the sockets of each leg.
 7. The pallet defined in claim 6 wherein the elongated trapezoidal recess opens downwardly and wherein the elongated trapezoidal protrusion points upwardly.
 8. The pallet defined in claim 6 wherein the elongated trapezoidal recess opens upwardly and wherein the elongated trapezoidal protrusion points upwardly.
 9. The pallet defined in claim 6 wherein the platform is square, the elongated trapezoidal recesses and protrusions in the sockets of each leg are aligned in the same direction and the two different angular orientations are 90* apart.
 10. The pallet defined in claim 6 wherein the platform is rectangular, the elongated trapezoidal recesses and protrusions in at least some of the sockets are aligned in planes angularly inclined to the planes of the elongated trapezoidal recesses and protrusions in diagonally opposite sockets and the two different angular orientations are 180* apart.
 11. The pallet defined in claim 1 wherein the first cooperating detent means comprises means defining at least one recess on the underside of the pallet, the recess being located above the lower extent of the legs of the pallet, and wherein the second cooperating detent means comprises means defining at least one protrusion on the upperside of the pallet, the protrusion being located below the upper surface of the platform.
 12. The pallet defined in claim 1 wherein the first cooperating detent means comprises means defining at least one recess on the upperside of the pallet, the recess extending below the upper surface of the platform, and wherein the second cooperating detent means comprises means defining at least one protrusion on the underside of the pallet, the protrusion being located above the lower extent of the legs of the pallet.
 13. The pallet defined in claim 1 wherein the first and second cooperating detent means are on the platform of the pallet.
 14. The pallet defined in claim 13 wherein the first cooperating detent means comprises means defining at least two recesses in the upper surface of the platform with the recess sidewalls sloping inwardly from the upper surface of the platform toward the bottom of the recess, at least one of the recesses beIng spaced differently from the outer edge of the platform than one other of the recesses, and wherein the second cooperating detent means comprises means defining at least two protrusions on the lower surface of the platform with the protrusion sidewalls sloping inwardly from the lower surface of the platform toward the free end of the protrusion, at least one of the protrusions being spaced differently from the outer edge of the platform than one other of the protrusions.
 15. The pallet defined in claim 1 wherein the platforms are square and the different angular orientations are 90* apart.
 16. The pallet defined in claim 1 wherein the platforms are rectangular and the different angular orientations are 180* apart.
 17. The pallet defined in claim 1 wherein one of the legs lies approximately at the geometric center of the platform.
 18. The pallet defined in claim 17 wherein the first cooperating detent means includes means defining an odd number of recesses adjacent and equicircumferentially spaced around the geometric center of the platform, and wherein the second cooperating detent means includes means defining an odd number of protrusions adjacent and equicircumferentially spaced around the geometric center of the platform.
 19. The pallet defined in claim 1 additionally comprising a visible indicia means on the pallet for permitting alignment and misalignment of the orientation of the pallet with the like adjacent nested pallets.
 20. The pallet defined in claim 19 wherein the visible indicia means comprises two visually different indicia on the pallet at two angularly separated locations so that when the pallet is in one orientation the indicia on the pallet and the indicia on adjacent nested pallets vertically corresponds and when the pallet is in the other angular orientation the indicia on the pallet and the indicia on adjacent nested pallets does not vertically correspond.
 21. The pallet defined in claim 1 wherein the platform has four side edges at approximately 90* to each other and defining four corners at the juncture of each side edge and wherein there are at least four legs, one located adjacent each corner, and additionally comprising corner shrouds extending at least partially on each side of each corner for protecting the legs against accidental damage, the shrouds being defined by sloping shroud walls secured to the platform at the platform edges and depending below the lower surface of the platform, the shroud walls sloping outwardly from the geometric center of the platform as they depend from the platform.
 22. The pallet defined in claim 23 wherein the vertical lower extent of the shroud walls and the vertical lower extent of the legs below the platform are coplanar so that the shroud walls and legs both bear the weight of the pallet when it rests on the ground.
 23. The pallet defined in claim 22 wherein the shroud walls extend completely around each corner of the platform and extend partially but not completely down each edge of the platform so as to define a gap between shroud walls on the same side of the platform. 